Namaaste Kitchen in South Grove was last week selected by the Asian Catering Federation in their guide to the UK’s top 100 Curry Houses.
So we went along to try out the dishes and delicious cocktails and meet chef patron Sabbir Karim.
Once installed in comfy chairs we started with a cocktail and a mocktail.
For me a refreshing concoction of raspberry, vodka and lemonade, and for my teenager a tall, iced passion fruit and lime drink followed by a cooling mango lassi.
We considered the menu while munching on poppadoms and ordering up a feast.
Ours arrived in a warm crunchy basket and was a lovely contrast of textures, flavours and cooling yoghurt and jewel-like pomegranate seeds.
It went brilliantly with a quartet of lamb chops which arrived at the table sizzling on a hot plate with onions and delicious juices from a spicy marinade.
They were a highlight, as was a Goan seafood curry with tender scallops, sea bass and king prawns cooked in a light gravy of mustard seeds, coconut milk.
But we both absolutely loved the Chicken Beliram – one of their bestsellers – this creamy, aromatic curry was invented by a chef who cooked for the royals of Punjab and it really was fit for a king.
We mopped it up with a buttery garlic naan, a folded, layered paratha and fluffy rice. And although we had over-ordered masala king prawns cooked in a Tandoori oven – the waiter packed up the leftovers to take home.
Desserts range from the decidedly Western brownie or mango cheesecake but we wanted to try something traditional. Gajar ka Halwa is a sugary carrot pudding flavoured with cardamom and nuts – here served with vanilla ice-cream.
And Gulab Jamun was a sweet ball in an even sweeter sauce with ice-cream. Accompanied by a cup of Earl Grey tea it left us feeling happy and full.
The service was impeccable throughout and you could see that Sabbir Karim is justifiably proud of his award-winning restaurant.
Namaaste Kitchen is at 4, South Grove, Highgate. www.namaastekitchen.co.uk
